By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The Meghalaya government has announced a six-month suspension on all state-funded overseas travel by ministers, legislators and government employees in a move aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline and reducing avoidable expenditure.
The decision, formalised through a notification issued by the General Administration Department on June 10, forms part of a broader austerity initiative intended to safeguard public finances and prioritise spending on key development schemes.
As a result of the order, official foreign trips financed by the state exchequer will remain suspended for half a year. The directive covers both regular and contractual personnel serving under the state government.
The restriction has affected several planned international programmes, leading to the deferment of eight foreign exposure visits and study tours involving nearly 70 participants from various government departments. These programmes were designed to provide insights into sectors such as public administration, healthcare delivery, livestock management, environmental conservation, water resource planning and election management.
Officials who were scheduled to travel to countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Denmark, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Argentina will now have to postpone their visits until further review.
Government sources said the measure has been introduced to ensure prudent utilization of public funds at a time when global economic volatility and external financial pressures continue to impact spending priorities.
At the same time, the state administration clarified that the temporary halt should not be interpreted as a reduction in its commitment to international engagement. Departments have been encouraged to explore alternative avenues such as virtual conferences, technical exchanges and institutional collaborations to maintain knowledge sharing and capacity building efforts.
The order, however, excludes foreign visits that are fully financed by the Government of India or sponsored entirely by multilateral development institutions, subject to the necessary approvals and clearances from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Officials stated that the initiative is expected to help preserve financial resources for infrastructure projects, welfare programmes and other priority sectors while ensuring greater efficiency in government expenditure.